Los Angeles is going to take in billions for a West Hollywood train, in sales tax—but the start of the building will not be till 20141—22 years from now. As we know from the largest scam in the history of this nation, the High Speed Rail, Fresno now has portions that are slums, the train is 50-60 YEARS behind schedule and will cost a minimum of $200 billion—about $160 billion more than advertised. The ridership was lied about as well.

But since this will not be completed for decades or even started for two decades, what about the changes in technology and costs? That is not taken into consideration. Worse, what happens if this government agency spends all the money raised on pay raises, pensions and benefits—how much higher can they push the sales tax before folks say NO.

“Under a schedule attached to Measure M, the transit-funding sales tax measure that Los Angeles County voters approved in 2016, the upper portion of the line isn’t slated to begin construction until 2041.

Agency officials say they plan to begin environmental review of the project next year, which could help speed up that timeline. Meanwhile, elected leaders in West Hollywood are aggressively pursuing fundraising measures for the project, which Metro expects will cost between $3 billion and $4.7 billion to construct.

Like the choo choo to nowhere, this will never happen—but the people will be taxed—and the money used to shore up the bankrupt system.

Metro is weighing options for a train that will extend the Crenshaw/LAX Line north to Hollywood, creating what agency officials predict will become one of the most ridden light rail lines in the nation.

A route for the northern portion of the project hasn’t yet been selected, but Metro staffers have narrowed down alternatives to five alignments that would link the soon-to-open train line to Hollywood and West Hollywood, linking up with the Purple and Red subway lines along the way.

Agency officials said Wednesday that each of the proposed routes would draw more than 75,000 daily riders, with two alignments serving more than 90,000 passengers per day.

Deputy project manager Alex Moosavi told reporters that the northern portion of the line, which would pass through some of the most densely populated areas of Los Angeles and West Hollywood, could eventually see more per-mile boardings than Boston’s Green Line—the country’s oldest subway and its most heavily used light rail line.

But all those riders could have a long wait before they’ll be able to board the train’s northern leg.

Under a schedule attached to Measure M, the transit-funding sales tax measure that Los Angeles County voters approved in 2016, the upper portion of the line isn’t slated to begin construction until 2041.

Agency officials say they plan to begin environmental review of the project next year, which could help speed up that timeline. Meanwhile, elected leaders in West Hollywood are aggressively pursuing fundraising measures for the project, which Metro expects will cost between $3 billion and $4.7 billion to construct.

By early next year, the agency’s board of directors is likely to consider which of the five proposed project routes to move forward with. All five options would travel up Crenshaw Boulevard to the Mid-City area, at which point four of the routes would hook west along San Vicente Boulevard, eventually proceeding north through West Hollywood and linking up with the Hollywood and Highland subway station.

A fifth route would bypass West Hollywood and instead travel east to the Wilshire/Vermont Station in Koreatown, allowing riders to transfer to the Red or Purple lines at that point.

Estimated ride times for the four options running through West Hollywood range from 12.4 minutes to 19 minutes for the longest option, which would boomerang through the city, reaching as far west as the intersection of Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards, close to Robertson Boulevard, before continuing east along Santa Monica.

Share this:

Stephen Frank is the publisher and editor of California Political News and Views. He speaks all over California and appears as a guest on several radio shows each week. He has also served as a guest host on radio talk shows. He is a fulltime political consultant.

Laugh….for those of us on the rational side of planning and stopping government waste this is a gem.

BUT where are the business types and honest politicians wiling to take this on? Most voters sit on their hands, with the comment you cannot fight City Hall. Well if you refuse to call out liars and cheats (on both sides) in politics and government you get what you asked for.

This plan is amazing in both stupidity and costs. The little brother of this is the commuter rail from Ventura to Santa Maria. That project has not even hit the 1/4 completion, the costs without operation costs have gone up 500%, and public transportation in Ventura and Santa Barbara are on the same loser trend line as MTA of Los Angeles.

You have to wonder about voter IQ. If I remember correctly PT said there is one born every minute.

I want to be hired as a consultant to determine how much should be charged patrons once the Hollywood Line is in service 25 years from now. In the interim it would be nice to receive a retainer each month for advice given on marketing matters for this boon daggle..